Cauvery water-sharing dispute generates heat in LS

The Cauvery water-sharing dispute today created an uproar in Lok Sabha today after an AIADMK member referred to it during a debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address.

As AIADMK Leader M Thambidurai drew the attention of Union Minister and BJP leader from Karnataka Ananth Kumar to the issue, the Minister, who hails from Karnataka, termed the matter as "sub-judice".

He was supported by members of all parties from Karnataka.

Thambidurai referred to the water row while underlining the need for linking of rivers. Trouble started after he referred to Kumar.

BJP members from Karnataka objected to the name of the Minister being taken and Kumar drew the attention of the Chair, saying "he has taken my name. I should be allowed to speak".

Immediately, the members of AIADMK were on their feet and there was ruckus for a few minutes.

"It (Cauvery water dispute) has become a death sentence for Karnataka," Kumar said, adding Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have challenged the court order and the matter is now before the Supreme Court.

Arjun Charan Sethi, who was in the Chair, later said since Kumar alleged the matter relating to Cauvery water- sharing is sub-judice, "I will examine it and if it is true, I will expunge it".

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had pitched for Cauvery Management Board (CMB) during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week but her counterpart in Karnataka Siddaramaiah has opposed CMB.

Karnataka objected to the formation of the Board on the ground that the appeals on the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal award were pending before the Supreme Court.